A government official in Turkey has requested authorities to launch a formal investigation on the popular open-world video game "Minecraft," BBC reported.
According to Aysenur Islam, the Turkish government's Family and Social Polices Minister, the game glorifies violence.
In Europe, "Minecraft" is rated for children seven years old and above. On the other hand, in the U.S., gamers must be over 10 years old to play the game.
Although the game has a relatively low age rating in the U.S. and European market, Islam believes "Minecraft" should be banned in Turkey. She argues that the game promotes violence against others.
The minister's inquisition on "Minecraft" began after a journalist in Turkey told her that the game utilizes a reward system when players kill the characters of other gamers. Islam fears that children who play "Minecraft" might adopt the idea that hurting other people is fine.
Although the game depicts violence, the Pan European Game Information, the governing body that rates video games in Europe, stated that "Minecraft" features "non-realistic looking violence."
The organization also noted that although the characters in the game are meant to look like humans, they are not detailed and the violent scenes are presented in a cartoonish way.
Due to the minister's campaign against "Minecraft" a reporter who works for a gaming publication in Turkey emphasized that Islam's concerns are exaggerated. Journalist Kaan Gezer added that this type of thinking is harmful for Turkey's gaming industry.
"I have never seen a kid grabbing a sword and attacking people because of 'Minecraft,'" Gazar told the Turkish gaming site Leadergamer. "Stories like this cause the video game industry in Turkey to stall or even deteriorate."
"Minecraft" first debuted in 2011 and was developed by the Sweden-based independent gaming studio Mojang. Since its release, the game generated a strong following among gamers due to its entertaining and creative open game play features.
